Chapter 14

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They say patience is the virtue of the warrior…

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Moody stared at Ginevra questioningly. It had been a quite a few days since she had last disappeared, and she hadn't left. The Death Eaters hadn't come to get her once, which Moody found quite disturbing. The day she did get back however, she looked at him with a look of utter despair and fell on the floor, falling into a deep sleep. She hadn't woken up since. The two men had thought of trying to see if she was still alive, but her night thrashings was enough evidence for him and the boy.

However, that still did not answer the question of why she was there. He had never seen the girl for this long of a period. What had it been, 3…possibly 4 days since her arrival. Three days of sleep was thought to be enough for any person, however, Ginevra wasn't just any person. Never the less, Moody felt as if something was happening in the manor. The Death Eaters had been too quite, and a quite Death Eater was always a dangerous one. Moody ruffled his gray hair in question, what was going on?

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Drowsy eyes woke up to the sound of rustling. Ginny's eyes darted back and forth from where she was. When ever she woke up, she had no time to sit and reflect on what had happened, Ginny knew that when it was time to wake up, That questions were going to be asked but never intended to be answered. She could not take another curse or the laughter that would follow. The taunting and starvation they forced upon her. She sat up quickly, not finding herself in her cell or in a pitch black room.

Looking around the room, Ginny began to panic. She had never been here before; she had never been in any other room. It was the finely furnished room, decorated lavishly with antiques and gothic paintings. The furniture was of the richest mahogany Ginny had ever seen, deep brown, almost red in color. A large fire was burning in the enormous fireplace, giving the room a warm glow. Ginny looked down to see herself lying in a soft, deep green comforter, better than the red silk she usually "slept" in. Touching the lining on the bed, she furrowed her brow. What in Merlin's name was going on?

Ginny's head turned to the sound of the door opening. The door hidden on the side of her bed came out, and a young woman entered, carrying a bowl of water. She looked at Ginny icily and sighed.

"Good afternoon miss." She said curtly, setting the porcelain bowl on the table next to the bed. The blonde went back into the bathroom and came out with a few towels. Ginny stared at the young woman, where did she know her. "Please, get up." She asked softly. Ginny slowly pulled off the covers and carefully stood up. She looked down to see herself in a soft nightgown, one like she had as a young girl at the Burrow. She watched as the girl nodded and sighed.

"Come with me to the bath miss." She took the porcelain bowl and lead Ginny into the restroom.

If Ginny thought that the room was elaborate, she was way off. The bathroom was positively gorgeous, and not to mention huge. The large tub sitting in the middle of tub was filled with pink bubbles. The bathroom was covered in dragons and other mystical creatures, moving slowly on the wall. Ginny turned her head around like a girl in a candy store to finally face the mirror.

The young red head almost didn't recognize herself. Her hair was now to her shoulders, not even red any more. Her face was gaunt and pale, her cheekbones protruding from her face. Her once brown eyes were now a pale and lifeless; the sparkle that they once held was gone.

"Take off your clothes, miss." Ginny covered her body protectively. "It's alright Miss, they won't come." Ginny looked into the girl's eyes and she almost stepped back. The young woman now helping her was Pansy Parkinson, the once beauty queen of Hogwarts. Her face was pale; not the once bright pink it once was. Her flawless face was now marred with scars. Pansy's once fine blonde hair was stringy and dirty. Her blue eyes looked up to Ginny as she tossed her dress on the floor, trying to hold gasp in. Yet Ginny couldn't hold her own.

Her mouth fell open, and her eyes stung when she saw what had happened her body. There was not one area on her stomach or chest that wasn't covered in a purple bruise. Not only that but her body had scar after scar, some still bleeding, from her chest to her ankles. Tears fell down her face as she looked at her once smooth body.

"Don't cry." Pansy said, as she warmed the bath. "Don't let them see you cry." Ginny looked to the other girl and shook her head.

"But they already have."

Pansy shook her head as she helped Ginny into the tub. Slowly easing her body into the steaming hot water, Ginny relaxed. Her body almost had a spasm for Ginny couldn't remember the last time she was able to relax. Her life since…since…when ever she came here, had been filled with unending torture. Where she would wake up with a drug in her system or a bruise on her face. Where her only place of comfort was on a stone floor in a prison that smelled of decay. Where the only man she loved ignored her, and the wisest man you once knew had gone mad. Ginny didn't remember what it felt like to be relaxed… Ginny didn't even know how to feel any more.

"They already know you care about Draco." Pansy said bitterly. "They know your weakness. But don't let them know that they can hurt you any other way." Ginny looked into the sudsy water as Pansy washed her neck softly.

"Is that what you did?" the red head asked after a few moments of silence. "Were you found out?" Pansy only cleared her throat and continued washing Ginny.

Ginny almost wanted to cry; she hadn't felt this nice in a long time. Ginny knew it sounded odd, but some one taking such care brought tears to her eyes, even some like Pansy. Ginny remembers when she was dating Harry, and the evil looks she would throw at her. The way the blonde would taunt Ginny, calling her ugly, fat, and a Mudblood lover. They were never friends, and never would be. Yet now, Ginny had never felt such respect for some one. For something they were told to do, to be gentle.

Pansy kept quite as she washed each and every one of Ginny's scars. The young red head never lifted her head, she was so ashamed. Ginny saw the pity deep with in Pansy's eyes as she cleaned her. Yet, as Ginny looked a bit harder, maybe it wasn't pity she was feeling, but empathy.

"Can you get up Miss?" she asked formally. The young woman looked at her hands and shook her head. Her body was too weak to do anything. Pansy only nodded and grabbed a towel; wrapping it around Ginny, she slowly helped her to her feet and out of the tub, all the while not wetting the fluffy towel.

The young blonde woman led Ginny over to the other side of the bathroom, and sat her down at a vanity set. She then went over to the cupboard and began taking out potion bottle after potion bottle, setting them all one a small tray. After a few minutes, and a few dozen bottles, she went over to Ginny and knelt in front of her.

"Take off your towel." The brown-eyed woman looked at her skeptically, "You will have to trust me miss, I need to heal your wounds." Ginny sighed, and slipped the towel off her shoulders; leaving her exposed.

Pansy said nothing as she began mixing the potions. After a few moments, the potion turned into a soft pink; dipping a small towel into the concoction, Pansy began cleaning Ginny's cuts. The moment the rag touched and open wound Ginny regretted it. It stung like fire against her skin, and she cried out. Pansy only held Ginny down, all the while saying trying to calm her down. It felt like her whole back was in flamed as she touched the rag to each of the scars.

"It's alright." Came Pansy after Ginny had clamed. "I wont let them scar you." the red head grimaced and breathed in deeply.

"They already have."

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By the time Pansy was done with each and every wound, Ginny was exhausted. Yet, when Pansy helped her to a mirror, she was almost glad she had gone through that pain. In front of her, staring back was a girl she used to know. A girl who was prim, proper, and flawless. Ginny's red hair was soft and her true Weasley color shinning. Her face was smooth, with out a trace of a bruise or a cut. Her small body was once again with out a scar; it was as if she had never been touched by a death eater. But she had.

Ginny's body may have been repaired, but her eyes gave it all away. Looking deep into her brown eyes, she saw pain, disgrace, anger, betrayal, suffering, and loss. Ginny didn't even recognize her self any more. Her innocence, and not her Virginal innocence, but her innocence to life had all be take brutally away. She would never get that back, she would never go back to carefree Ginny, and where the only thing she had to worry about was Draco. Ginny Weasley would never be the same.

"Here." Said Pansy, slipping a sleeping robe over her head. The blonde woman led her over to the bed and tucked her in. As Pansy stood up, she sighed. "Yes." She said softly.

"Yes what?" inquired Ginny.

"I was found out." Pansy took a few steps away from the bed. "They found out that I was in love with…" she cleared her throat. "That I was in love, and they used it against me. They threatened to kill him if I didn't do what they said. I was used, just like you, and after they were done, they turned me into a slave. I have no freedom, I have no life, not even my own family cares about what happens to me, as long as their perjury of the Wizarding world is fulfilled." Pansy wiped her blue eyes. "And they killed the man I loved, he was dead when the firs took me, and kept me anyway." She shook her head. "I feel for you Ginevra." The blonde said as she began walking towards the door.

"Pansy?" called Ginny. "Why am I here?" she inquired, Pansy held her head high and sighed. "I had to clean you up." She opened the door. "Master Lucious will be here in the morning."

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They took her, again. She was brought in, and she slept for 6 straight days. On the 7th day he woke up to find her cell once again empty. Draco couldn't take it, where was she! Another 9 days had passed, and still she had not been seen, the blonde wished with all the energy that he could see her. Ginny.

He had seen her the day she was brought back to her cell. He had pretended to be asleep as the Death Eater's dragged her body in. It was as if her body was functioning, but her mind didn't want to work. They left her standing in her cell, and when they left, she collapsed. Moody had tried to wake her up, but she didn't. Draco had held his breath, praying that she wasn't dead, praying to some God above that he will see his Ginny again. For 2 days Alastor and he watched her like a hawk, waiting for any sign of life. And finally, on the 3rd night, she began having her night terrors, and that was all the evidence they needed. Ginny was alive; Draco would be able to hold her again.

Yet that didn't happen, for days she slept, and he watched her. He watched her like he always did. He took in every part of her he could, which was his Ginny. The grimy, dirty, bruised, broken, reeking, woman he loved so dearly. Draco had sat watching her almost in a daze. He didn't eat, he didn't sleep, and he only started at her, as if she were a precious stone. He was looking at the woman he loved, but could do nothing for. She was perfect, Ginevra Weasley, soon to be Malfoy, was perfect. That's all he knew.

Then they took her away again. Draco almost went crazy when she wasn't lying her in cell. Her couldn't watch her body moving with each breath she took. He cried and cried, they took her away, and Draco didn't know where. He felt himself slowly going mad in his cell. The smell was getting to him; the walls were constantly closing in on him. The sound of Moody from across his cell was infuriating. The blonde cared nothing for the old man, he wasn't Ginny, he wasn't Gin.

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Draco sat in his cell, with a very sullen expression on his face. His silver eyes moved over to Moody who was standing up, looking out the window. He had been like that for hours now, and hadn't bothered to tell Draco what he was doing; standing there like a dolt. Draco's frustration got the better of him, and he stood up quickly, facing Alastor.

"What in bloody hell are you doing?" he growled, Moody didn't answer him for a long time. "Old man!" Draco cried like a child, Moody shushed him, "Don't shush me."

"Quite boy!" he hissed at him. "Can't you see I am in the middle of something!" He sighed and kept looking out the window.

"In the middle of something?" cried Draco. "You've been at that bloody window for hours now…what do you mean…"

"Shh." He barked, as he sat back down. "Its time." The blonde looked at him as if he had gone mad as the old man slowly slid to the floor; resuming his former sleeping position.

"I…" but before he could finish, the door to the prison was opened, and three Death Eaters walked in. Draco pushed himself to the back of his cell, and watched the three men. They were a lot stiffer than before, their demeanor rigid and quite. His lip curled as they stopped in front of his cell and faced him.

"Can I help you?" he spat, they didn't respond, only stood there like boards. Draco sniggered, "Bloody Wankers, if all your going to do is fucking stare at me, then I suggest you fuck…"

"Tsk tsk tsk." Came a voice from behind them, the blonde man rolled his eyes.

"Don't tsk me you bint." There was a bit of laughter. "Where is she!" he asked, pointing at Ginny's cell. "Where did you take her!" his body began to shake with rage as the laughter continued. "I swear on my mother's grave, if you fucking slags don't tell me where the fuck she is I will cut your bloody...

"My dear boy, I thought I taught you better manners." Draco immediately stopped when he heard that voice. His eyes went wide and his mouth dropped, Draco hated that voice. The Death Eaters parted slowly and his father stepped forward, snigger on his face. Draco trembled as he looked at his father. It was as if time stopped all together as the two looked at each other.

His …father… no longer looked like the man Draco once knew. Lucious Malfoy was clad in a large black robe, with the mark of Voldemort embroider on the front. His blonde hair was longer than it ever was, hanging loosely, covering the sides of his face slightly. His face was pale and thin, nose pointed, his thin lips a pale purple. Of all the things that had changed, the one that frightened Draco the most were his eyes. Instead of the steely silver, much like Draco's, they were a bright gleaming red, much like Voldemort's used to be. Draco was 6ft away from his father by now, and yet he could feel the pure dark magic radiating from his body. His father had been over taken by the magic of his new power.

"What is this?" he asked, as he put out his hand and the door to Draco's door flew opened. "Do you not wish to greet your father?" He then held out his arms, as if he wanted Draco to embrace him. Draco took another step back, pressing his back to the wall. "Is that a no?" he inquired. "Well, I suppose you are much too old for hugs…" he stepped closer. "How about a hand shake?"

Draco looked at his out stretched hand, and grimaced at its appearance. His hand was white as snow; long fingers ended with sharp nails. He looked at his father, whose red eyes gleamed at him. He swallowed uneasily, and slowly held out his hand. When Lucious grabbed his hand, Draco fell to his knees, his body filling with a surge of Dark magic. As Draco tried to let go of his hand; his father kept a firm grasp, grinning as Draco writhed in pain. After what felt like an eternity, his father let him go, and laughed maliciously.

"So weak." He said, as he looked down at him, the moonlight giving his face a sick glow. Draco looked up at him, and groaned. "I thought I raised a stronger heir, but it is obvious you are still worthless." Lucious kicked Draco in the stomach. "You failed Me.," he said calmly, kicking him again. "You betrayed Me." he then bent down, and grabbed Draco's hair in his fist. "So I will take the only thing I can." He yanked his head back further, watching as Draco's eyes rolled into the back of his head. "Ginevra." And throwing his head back onto the stone floor, with Draco falling into unconsciousness.

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Draco sat in the very corner of his cell, his body shaking. He breathed in heavily, his body aching with each and every breath. His eyes traveled around his cell, to settle on a cup of water sitting in front of him. An aching hand reached out and grasped it tightly, and slowly picked it up. His limbs wouldn't stay still; he was shaking so violently, that when the cup reached his lips, half the contents was on the floor. He brought it to his lips, and tipped the cup back, all the while trying to steady his arm. Tipping it back, he let the water slip into his mouth, having some of it spill out of his mouth and onto his clothing. He tried swallowing but a pain in his throat came over him, and he immediately coughed out. He dropped the cup and leaned back onto his cell wall, feeling more miserable than before.

When his father had come, exactly 5 days ago, he had left in Draco a bit of dark magic. Now, this dark magic didn't do just anything, it attacked his body. The blonde could actually feel the magic moving though his veins, in his blood, and all through his body. IT would curse through his body like a poison, and attack any part of his body he tried to move. Whether it was his arm, leg, or even his eyes the dark magic would attack it, making it impossible to do anything.

As the blonde sat in his cell, he brooded. His father, that damned bastard, did this to him; and Draco could do anything about it. Of course he couldn't because Draco was useless. He wasn't worth anything to anybody. Moody was gone, taken by Death Eaters not two days ago, and hadn't been seen since. Ginny was…well… Draco tried not to think about Ginny. There fore, he was left in the cell, waiting for the inevitable, his demise.

Draco had actually been contemplating Death. His enclosure and loneliness was beginning to drive him mad; making him think of things he never used to. He thought of his Hogwarts Days, of Professor Snape, Molly Weasley and the Burrow. He thought of his friends, of Potter, Albus Dumbledore and his mother. The silver eyed man once thought he had it all, and now, sitting in his cell, he knew his life meant nothing. Just another drop in the pond, he realized that no one cared for him; that some God above left him in this cell, to see how worthless he really was. That in the end, a Malfoy was no good to any one. He couldn't even help the woman he loves, how could he do anything for any one else.

The man jerked as the dark magic hit his head. It stung like fire behind his eyes, and he groaned with pain. Merlin the pain; that's all he knew. The Magic made him see stars, and his mind went blank. All he knew was the horror of life; and as he held his head in his hands, he thought of Ginny. The pain she must have felt…feels… being here. How they use her, how they touch her, how they make her do things no one should feel. How this pain he was feeling was nothing compared to what she must go through. Damn his Father, damn this War, Damn Potter, but most of all…damn him.

The sound of squeaking caught Draco's attention as he blinked though the pain. The sound of footsteps became louder and louder. Some one was coming, some one was talking. Draco pushed his head up, and blinked a few times, there were voices.

"Fucking bint." Some one grumbled.

"What do you think 'appened?" asked another.

"Dunno, but Master isn't happy." There was the sound of skin against skin. "See, nothing!"

"What are the gunna do?" the voices were louder.

"Probably kill 'em if nothing changes."

Draco looked up to see two men carrying some one. His hear almost jumped out of his throat, GINNY! They were walking Ginny back to her cell. His eyes were still a bit hazy, but he could see them leading her to her cell. He almost wanted to jump up and hug her, she was ok! His Ginny was alive. As his vision cleared, and the Death Eaters got closer, he began to push himself up. They were still talking…

"Are you sure there's nothin' we can do?"

"No. Master says just leave her in here, he'd take care of her." The other took Ginny by the arms and pushed her against the bars. Draco, leaning against the wall, felt heat rising to his face. How dare they touch her.

"HEY!" he shouted, with a slight slur after his words. "HEY! Don't you bloody touch her!"

"Keep your mouth shut, or else." Shouted the other, who was watching the whole thing.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" growled Draco, watching as the other death eater looked at Ginny quizzically.

"Nothing." He breathed, pulling her hair back.

"STOP THAT!"

"No wonder Master threw her back."

The other Death Eater turned away from Draco to look at Ginny. "Master says if nothing happens in 3 days, to just kill her." Draco began shouting millions of profanities at the men as the put Ginny in her cell. They just looked at her, shaking their heads, and locked the cell. Draco kept yelling at the men until a sharp pain was in the back of his throat. He clutched his neck, and fell to his knees, as it felt as if his lungs were closing. He coughed harshly, until he could feel the magic begin to move to another part of his body. He cleared his throat and stood up, he had to talk to Ginny.

He slowly made his way toward her, his body still trembling violently. He grasped the bars and looked at her. Squinting his eyes, he studied her; there was something wrong. She had cuts and bruises all on her face, neck, and arms. Her lips were drizzling blood, and her face and a large purple bruise on her cheek. Draco's knuckles went white as he looked at his Ginerva, his Ginny.

"Ginny?" he said softly, the first time he had said her name since his incarceration. "Gin?" she didn't respond, only kept her eyes forward. "Love?" Her furrowed his brow, she wasn't responding. Her once sparkling brown eyes were dead; instead a faded brown stood in their place. Her mouth was hanging open slightly, letting blood and spit slowly trickle out. "Ginerva?" he asked again, "are you alright?" she didn't respond; only kept her eyes forward.

Draco's lip trembled with fear, and his eyes stung with tears. Something was very wrong with Ginny. She wasn't responding to him, he tried calling her again, only yelled, and still nothing. Ah he looked at her, the blonde thought of one person, his father. His father must have done something to her, put her under spell, hurt her, said something to her that would make her go…catatonic. Draco felt moisture on his face, and realized he was crying. He was crying for Ginny, he was crying for his pain, he was crying for his uselessness. He failed her; he had failed the only thing that mattered to him.

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Nearly two days had passed, and nothing had changed. The death Eaters had come that morning and the morning before to check on Ginny's state.

He wanted to take her in his arms and make everything go away. To kiss her and tell her that things will be better tomorrow. Draco wanted to take her back to the Burrow and turn her into Ginerva Malfoy. Draco tried his best to get her attention, but nothing helped. Where Ginny was, she was staying there; and Draco was afraid he'd never get his Ginny back.

On the morning of the third day, Draco didn't get one ounce of sleep. He was so afraid that if he fell asleep, a Death Eater would come and take Ginny away, and he'd never see her again. So, he just watched her as she sat propped up against one of the walls; saliva sliding down her face. The man sniffed a bit and sighed.

"Ginny." He said, sliding over to her bars. He steadied his hand, and pushed some of his grimy blonde hair out of his face. "Love?" he asked. "What's wrong?" She kept looking out. "Please talk to me." He sniffed. "You have to come back to me Ginny." He pleaded, "I won't let you leave me Ginny, we have to get married, remember? We would sit and watch our kids grow up, and when they went to Hogwarts, we'd travel, and make love all day long." He wiped his eyes. "Do you remember Gin?" the red head hadn't changed. "Ginny, please don't leave me alone, I wont make it without you." Draco let out a sob. "You are the only thing keeping me alive… please Ginny…pl…"

There was a loud boom coming from in side the mansion. Draco looked up, wiping his eyes furiously. There was one more boom, before he felt the entire floor shake. He looked over at Ginny, who remained unchanged, and stood up. After a few moments of listening, Draco furrowed his brow, it seemed as if nothing had even happened. He looked towards the door of the prison and waited, and still nothing happened. Sighing, he looked back to Ginny, and slid to the ground once more.

"We will get out, love." He told her, nodding his head. "I will make sure of it." he smiled at her, as she blinked. Draco almost stopped breathing…she blinked.

All of a sudden, the door to the prison burst open, and Lucious along with Alastor Moody ran into the prison. They stopped in front of Draco's cell and moody quickly opened it with a simple "Alohomora" spell. Draco stood up and looked at them wild-eyed, Moody walked in and took a deep breath.

"C'mon, we are getting out of here." Draco narrowed his eyes.

"No." he said slowly, Moody rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean no?"

"I don't trust either of you." he spat, looking at his father looking at Ginny. Moody sighed.

"Don't be insolent boy, it's us."

"Who's us?" he growled.

"Get off your high horse, Malfoy." Spat his father, only in the voice of Colin Creevey. Draco furrowed his brow. "Its called Polyjuice you dolt, now get up, we need to get out of here." The blonde was still skeptical, to be lead to safety by the trader Creevey? And Moody, what in the name of Merlin was going on.

"Don't be a dolt!" yelled Moody, as he ran to Ginny's cell and with his wand, opened it. Alastor picked up Ginny's limp figure, and carried her out of the cell. The young man then stood up, and took Ginny out of his arms, holding her close to his body.

"No way I am going to let you have her."

"If you're not going to believe us, then you can get Ginny to safety, either way, we have to go." and with out another word, the three men ran out of the prison and into the manor.

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A/n:

well, hello all! Sorry for the wait! Had the HARDEST time trying to write this chappy! Well, its out, and I am sorry to say that this story is almost over. Lets see…a good 4 chapters before the end of my baby! But…its not over yet!

I just want to thank all of the GREAT PEOPLE who reviewed…

…Amanda Mancini …Keth …carameLisSa …DragonsMIstress …Rainydaygirl4 …Yodarox …Nichole Malfoy …Vipera …ayumi-dono …Jessie …Silverbutterfly …Kris-tina4 …Terriah …Wizzabee …Calla-ForEvEa …Icy Lullaby …Hells …Complex Simplicity …DazzilinAngel555 …DramaQueen14 …Lazyme …MISSERS! …siriusforeva …Kitty …Shayomac …LoveHopeFaith …Drooling4Draco …vixenfary27…KTBallerina …MoonDevil99 …Kittie06 …pinksunryse …Lela …Feffa …Iced Faerie …DnG4eVeR

and a special WOW to Complex Simplicity, who gave me the longest Review, I think I EVER HAD! It was sweet! Thanks!

Well Folks, that's about all I got now! OH! And GINERVA! Man…I was WAY off…well you know how its going to be now! NO MORE VIRGINIA! Even though that was a great name…Ginverva…hm… oh well! I wont question the JK!

Lots of Amor…

Love,

YvettE

aka Evy

Next to Come:

A Way Out
Awakenings
Moody's Retribution
and…
Running Away From Pain

Its going to be fun…